THEY EAT HORSES, DON’T THEY?: The Truth About the French (Thomas Dunne Books; December 9, 2014). When Piu Marie Eatwell went to live in France she believed all the myths she heard about the people living there – that they drink wine at every meal and never get drunk, that French women don’t shave or get fat, that the city shuts down during the month of August and that the French always kiss when greeting someone. While some may be true, others turned out to be purely fictional.
In THEY EAT HORSES, DON’T THEY? – winner of the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award for Multicultural Non-Fiction – Eatwell reveals the facts behind 45 myths and misconceptions. Drawing from her personal experiences and primary sources, for each ‘myth’ she examines its truth today and rates it on a scale of one to three stars according to its veracity. Ultimately, creating a hilarious, yet informative, portrait of the country’s customs and lifestyle, and revealing a fascinating picture of both historical and contemporary France.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Piu Marie Eatwell went to France for a long weekend one August summer holiday many years ago. She never left. After graduating from Oxford University with a First Class degree in English language and literature, she trained first as a BBC television producer and then as a lawyer. Over the years she has worked in various positions as a documentary film maker, barrister, teacher, mother, and—most recently—full-time writer, both in London and Paris. They Eat Horses, Don’t They? is her first book.
US Praise for THEY EAT HORSES, DON’T THEY
“Lovers of Paris will enjoy Eatwell’s chronicles of her journeys…Entertaining mini-essays that debunk common idealized conceptions of the French.”—Kirkus Reviews
“British-born francophile and France-resident Eatwell conducts a lighthearted journey through her adopted country by setting the record straight on commonly held stereotypes about the French…
the combination of history, trivia, and firsthand observations offers insights into the cultures on both ends of the Channel.”—Publishers Weekly
